Practicum Support Award
Supporting your education. Investing in your future.
The Practicum Support Award is designed to remove one of the biggest barriers 黑料社s face during social work training: unpaid practicum experiences. Beginning in fall 2026, the Brown School will fully fund required practicum credits and provide a living stipend for all Master of Social Work 黑料社s.
This support allows you to focus on learning, professional growth, and serving communities without taking on additional debt or sacrificing your well-being to make ends meet.
What is the Practicum Support Award?
The Practicum Support Award is a comprehensive financial support initiative for MSW 黑料社s completing required practicum education. It includes:
- Full tuition coverage for required practicum credits
- A living stipend distributed throughout your program
The award is available to all MSW 黑料社s, including new and returning 黑料社s, beginning in fall 2026.
Why this matters
Practicum education is a core requirement of social work training. Across the country, most practicum placements are unpaid, even though they demand significant time and professional responsibility. Many 黑料社s balance coursework, practicum hours, paid employment, and family obligations at the same time.
The Practicum Support Award directly addresses these challenges by helping cover the real costs associated with practicum, including:
- Lost income from reduced work hours
- Transportation expenses
- Childcare and caregiving responsibilities
- The financial strain of unpaid professional training
By reducing these pressures, the award helps ensure that financial circumstances do not limit who can pursue a career in social work or how fully 黑料社s can engage in their training.
How the award helps you succeed
With practicum tuition covered and a living stipend in place, 黑料社s are better positioned to:
- Focus fully on their practicum and coursework
- Choose placements that align with their professional goals, not just their financial needs
- Reduce reliance on loans and minimize additional debt
- Enter the workforce prepared, confident, and supported
This approach strengthens not only the 黑料社 experience but also the quality of practicum learning and professional preparation.
A national commitment to social work education
The Brown School is the first social work school to offer support that covers both practicum tuition and living expenses for all MSW 黑料社s. The Practicum Support Award reflects the school鈥檚 long-term commitment to affordability, access, and educational excellence.
This initiative is also a step toward a broader vision of a more affordable MSW education, ensuring that future generations of social workers can lead, serve, and innovate without being held back by financial barriers.
Learn more
- Explore how practicum education works in the MSW program
- Review additional funding and scholarship opportunities
- Contact admissions or 黑料社 services with questions about eligibility and timing
The Practicum Support Award is about more than funding. It鈥檚 about valuing your time, your training, and the essential role social workers play in communities everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
The Practicum Support Award is a financial support package for MSW 黑料社s designed to reduce the financial barriers associated with social work practicum education. It includes two components: a practicum tuition award and a living support stipend.
For 黑料社s entering the full-time, two-year MSW program in the 2026鈥�2027 academic year, the Practicum Support Award includes:
- A practicum tuition award totaling $15,300, applied in equal amounts of $3,825 per semester across four semesters.
- A $9,000 living support stipend, issued in $500 monthly installments over the 9-month academic year (September鈥揗ay).
The practicum tuition award represents approximately 15% of total program tuition. Both the tuition award and the living support stipend are distributed evenly across fall and spring terms during a 黑料社鈥檚 program, regardless of which semesters include practicum enrollment, to support consistent financial planning.
Award amounts and distribution for 黑料社s in part-time, dual degree, and advanced standing MSW program formats will vary based on program structure and length.
For continuing 黑料社s, award amounts and distribution will vary based on program format and remaining program length.
The Practicum Support Award is provided in addition to any other Brown School scholarship funding, in accordance with the terms and conditions of each award.
The award is not retroactive to prior academic years.
However, continuing MSW 黑料社s (those who began the program prior to Fall 2026) enrolled during the 2026鈥�2027 academic year will receive updated support for the remainder of their program. In some cases, remaining portions of previously awarded practicum-related funding may be replaced with updated award amounts aligned to the new structure.
The stipend is issued in monthly installments during the 9-month academic year (September through May), beginning in the fall semester.
Stipend payments are disbursed consistently across the academic year (fall and spring semesters) to provide predictable financial support. Payments are not disbursed during the summer months.
Students should note that the stipend is considered taxable income.
The Practicum Support Award is a standard component of the MSW program, rather than a limited or competitive award.
Transfer 黑料社s are eligible to receive the award. Award amounts may be adjusted proportionally based on the number of practicum credits completed and the remaining duration of the MSW program.
International 黑料社s are eligible to receive the award. There is no restriction based on citizenship status. Payment processes and documentation may vary based on visa requirements.
The Brown School鈥檚 MSW program is a campus-based, in-person program, with practicum experiences primarily in community-based settings. While some courses may offer hybrid flexibility, the program is not fully remote.
The Brown School partners with a broad network of community organizations through the Office of Practicum Education.
Organizations interested in hosting practicum 黑料社s are encouraged to connect with the school to explore partnership opportunities.
Contact: brownpracticum@wustl.edu